Whole of Syria : GIS and MIS Officer – based in Amman

ACTED

Since 1993, as an international non-governmental organization, ACTED has been committed to immediate humanitarian relief to support those in urgent need and protect people’s dignity, while co-creating longer term opportunities for sustainable growth and fulfilling people’s potential.

ACTED endeavors to respond to humanitarian crises and build resilience; promote inclusive and sustainable growth; co-construct effective governance and support the building of civil society worldwide by investing in people and their potential.

We go the last mile: ACTED’s mission is to save lives and support people in meeting their needs in hard to reach areas. With a team of 4,600 national staff 400 international staff, ACTED is active in 37 countries and implements more than 500 projects a year reaching over 14 million beneficiaries.

ACTED Syria

Since 2012, ACTED has been implementing projects with vulnerable communities in Syria with a two-fold approach: ACTED provides life-saving support to vulnerable displaced persons, returnees, and host communities across Syria, through multi-sectorial rapid emergency services, and implements a wide range of resilience building interventions. Thus, ACTED has been able to strengthen its links with Syrian local communities and to develop an in-depth knowledge of local dynamics. A team of 900+ is currently working in Syria.

You will be in charge of

1. Implement robust GIS and MIS systems

GIS and MIS Strategy

Develop and regularly update consolidated GIS and MIS work plan covering all mapping and GIS based analysis for ongoing/future projects and activities;

Ensure the effective design, development and functioning of GIS and MIS systems;

Ensure that proposal budgets capture appropriate cost and financial information to enable implementation of both internal and external GIS and MIS components;

Establish and maintain data and coding standards, best practices and adherence to these standards as required;

Identify and design innovative practices to improve organizational efficiency and effectiveness in GIS and MIS management and incorporate them in the country AME strategy;

GIS Systems Development and Implementation

Identify map information needs and relevant data sources;

Acquire spatial data through one or multiple forms of followings:

GPS data including the locations of community assets, beneficiary locations, routes to data collection sites;

Desk-based data capture (digitising) to convert paper maps to GIS datasets, for example, to record the location of community infrastructure from original maps;

Satellite imagery and other remote-sensing data to acquire features and information through technical data/image-interpretation methods;

Produce user-friendly and informative maps in an efficient manner to fulfil information/mapping needs;

Create new information or investigate patterns through GIS based analysis, e.g. estimating the number of people potentially affected by flooding, using population growth figures a protracted refugee/IDP situation to assess the demand for basic services.

Ensure that the produced maps or GIS based products meet the requirements of both internal and external users;

Create and maintain the structures necessary for GIS data storage;

Develop the tools for loading/transferring GIS data between different systems;

Manipulate, analyse and present geographical information by converting GIS information from one format to another;

Ensure effective and efficient information production, sharing and usage among all target groups and end-users;

Ensure an effective roll-out of GIS and Information Management systems to all staff and partners through training, site visits, manuals, and other technical support as needed. Ensure systems are well understood and properly implemented by staff and partners;

Develop strategies to increase data use and demand amongst relevant staff and other data/information users;

Facilitate trainings for non AME staff (e.g. PMs, PDs, TCs) on the use of project databases and database related reporting; for example, reporting on ACTED’s 16 global strategic program indicators;

Provide capacity building on effective use of GIS/DB products and systems – or ensure that GIS/DB staff deliver this efficiently and effectively;

2.Manage GIS and MIS Teams

Ensure that all GIS and MIS staff understand and are able to perform their roles and responsibilities;

Supervise relevant GIS and MIS staff delineating their responsibilities and follow-up the work plans and day-to-day activities;

Ensure a positive working environment and good team dynamics between GIS and MIS staff;

Undertake regular appraisals of staff and follow career management;

Training of data entry operators or equivalent in each department to enter the data into the Database;

Identify the AME training needs of GIS and MIS staff, discuss plans with the AME Manager and HR for both internal and external trainings according to strategic priorities for improved information usage and management;

3. Other

Provide regular and timely updates on progress and challenges to supervisors and other team members;

Participate in GIS/MIS related workshops and meetings as required;

Perform any other related activities as assigned by immediate supervisor.

Expected skills and qualifications

Flexibility and adaptability are essential, as well as the ability to plan, take initiative and organize work independently. In addition Impartiality, objectivity and confidentiality are imperative;

Good command of GIS software (especially those used by ACTED), Excel, Word and Database software such as Access or Foxpro. Familiarity with other information and data sources related to GIS to be recommended to ACTED for better GIS practices would be an asset.

Understanding the nature of the work carried out by programs is necessary for ensuring the relevancy and usability of the maps produced. Therefore a proactive and self-motivated attitude towards gaining a good understanding of ACTED programs, innovating GIS activities and developing new GIS components for proposals is essential;

Willingness to learn and capacity to innovate: The GIS Officer must be inventive and eager to improve his or her own skills, and be capable to adapt, shape and develop tools best suited for ACTED’s activities

Ability to travel to the field for data collection, cross-checking the data and provide training to field staff;

Good organizational and communication skills with international and national staff and rural communities.